NBA Draft 2011: Options for the Milwaukee Bucks and Who They Should Draft

The Milwaukee Bucks have had an extremely disappointing season thus far. Losing many of their key players for periods of time and not knowing when they were going to be back. The Bucks have not had a practice with everyone on the 15-man roster. That right there just says how the year has gone.

With that being said, should the Bucks just “blow off” the rest of the season in hopes of obtaining a good lottery pick?

Yes and no, some fans like me say, “Yes, blow off the rest of the season and draft Kemba Walker and play him alongside Jennings!” While other fans say, “No, let’s make that playoff push, we can get the eighth seed, maybe even the seventh seed!” But for what reason? To be swept in the first round or maybe win a game or two? (Don’t get me wrong, I’d love the Bucks to make the playoffs and win in the first round but let’s be realistic please.)

But what should the Bucks look for in the 2011 NBA Draft? Well, the need for a backup center is still there. But Larry Sanders has shown that he could become a good backup to Bogut but still needs time to develop.

When it comes to centers in this year’s draft, the top guys are Enes Kanter, Jonas Valanciunas, and Donatas Motiejunas. I am always very skeptical about foreign players, due to the fact that they did not play against the best of the best like all the NCAA players. These players listed above are not bad but are they as good as they have been talked about? Kanter has been compared to Andrew Bogut, Skiles and Hammonds would love to have another Bogut on the team.But I’d rather the Bucks draft a player that played in the NCAA and is a “sure talent.”

Perry Jones, power forward

Jones is a freshman power forward out of Baylor University. Jones is a guard in a forwards body. He can shoot the ball from the three-point line but can also pass and drive when necessary.

At 6’11, Jones is probably the best ball handler in this draft at his height; he can bring the ball up the court like a point guard and run the offense. Jones also provides his great ability to rebound the ball. It’s easy to say he’s one of the best, if not “THE BEST” player in this year’s draft.

The Bucks are projected the 10th pick, while Jones is projected to be gone within the first three picks. Obviously, Jones could help out the Bucks; he can do it all.

Terrence Jones, small forward

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Another Jones, Terrence is a great shooter and has been called the most versatile player in the 2011 draft. Besides being a terrific ball handler, Jones can find an open teammate and make it look easy. When Jones is locked in, teams better watch out. He has been compared to Lamar Odom.

The Bucks have a better chance of obtaining Jones, than of Perry Jones. But Terrence is still a top four prospect. Terrence would be a great sixth man for Milwaukee and could even maybe take John Salmons' starting spot due to his disappointing year.

Harrison Barnes, small forward

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In high school, Barnes was called the most complete swingman since Kobe Bryant.

He hasn’t lived up to that hype, and that has made his draft stock fall. He has the ability and skill to do everything on the court—ball handling, scoring, passing and he is also a great rebounder. Barnes midrange game has been raved about. Barnes can shoot the three but needs to become more consistent. The big fear that all NBA teams have is that Barnes will become to next Marvin Williams.

Barnes has recently shown improvement, and I personally think he will be a great player in the NBA.

Barnes is predicted to go within the top five but could slip down to the top 10 if he doesn’t have an impressive NCAA tournament. The Bucks could really use a scorer like Barnes; they have been struggling all year shooting a terrible 39 percent from the field.

Kemba Walker, guard

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Kemba Walker, guard...

Walker has the speed and ability to attack the hoop and also has a really good midrange game. According to ESPN, the only thing holding Walker back from being a top five pick is his size. Listed at 6’1" but closer to 5’11, Walker is an undersized guard.

Walker has a pretty consistent jump shot, and his three-point range is there but could be a bit more consistent. One of the aspects of Walker’s game that I love is his ability to run the fast break and pull up for a jumpshot. The drive or pass is not always there, and instead of waiting for all 10 men to be in Walker’s side of the court, he can pull up for a quick, smooth jumper. By now, most of us have seen Walker’s game winner against Pittsburgh a few days ago, and that he is now known as a “clutch” player.

Out of all the prospects named so far in this article, Walker is the most likely for Milwaukee to draft. He is projected as the 10th overall pick right now. The big question is if Jennings and Walker could play alongside each other. Or if Walker would come off the bench for Jennings, but this would probably result in less minutes for Jennings. The Bucks' main priority is to keep Jennings happy; he is somewhat classified as the “franchise” player, along with Andrew Bogut, and the Bucks don’t want to do anything to upset him.

Kawhi Leonard, small forward/ power forward

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Leonard is a very athletic, high energy player who can play both the three and the four positions.

Leonard is an offensive rebound junkie, averaging around 3.2 per game. Leonard spends a majority of his time on the perimeter but can also drive and post up as well. Leonard is a double-double machine as well.

Leonard is projected as a top 10 – top 15 pick and could fall to the Bucks. Leonard would be great playing alongside Bogut, but at 6’7", he couldn’t be Bogut’s backup. Leonard has been compared to the Bucks' own Luc Richard M Bah a Moute. They’re both hybrid forwards who rebound the ball but can also score when needed.

Alec Burks, guard

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Burks is an intriguing guard, at 6’6"; he is considered the “model shooting guard.”

Burks plays like a combo guard but really can solely play either the point guard or shooting guard if needed. With lots of athleticism, Burks can be blow by defenders and finish with either a fancy dunk or just lay the ball in for two points. Over the year, Burks has shown improvement in his midrange and three-point shooting.

If the Bucks could not draft Walker, Burks is there No. 2 option for drafting a guard. He provides so much and could really interest Jennings because of his quickness and ability to run the break. Jennings doesn’t really have a quick shooting guard next to him in John Salmons. Salmons is not slow but prefers to get into the offense and look for a perimeter jumper.

Conclusion

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The Bucks need to look for a center or another guard.

Boykins will be gone after this season, so Walker or Burks would be great picks. The pair of Jones that were named have a small chance of being drafted by Milwaukee but would do wonders for the organization.

We can only wait and see how the lottery plays out and who falls/rises with their performances in the NCAA tournament.